Water discharge fitting

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a water discharge fitting including a foldable water discharge pipe, the water discharge pipe being rotatably connected to a fitting body through a connecting member wherein the connecting member and the fitting body are formed locking with each other, wherein the locking has at least one locking step. The invention further discloses a one-lever mixer, especially for installation in trailers and caravans, including a water discharge fitting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims convention priority from German patentapplication no. 20 2004 005 561.9, with a filing date of Apr. 7, 2004.The specification and drawing of the German patent application arespecifically hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a water discharge fitting having afoldable water discharge pipe, the water discharge pipe being rotatablyconnected to a fitting body through a connecting member. The inventionfurther relates to a one-lever mixer, especially for installation intrailers and caravans.

Water discharge fittings having a foldable water discharge pipe areknown and are installed especially in trailers and caravans. Incaravans, trailers and campers, there is often the necessity ofinserting very low fittings in sinks with foldable glass cover.Especially, the thus used fittings are usually not allowed to exceed theheight of 40 mm. However, the known previous fittings have thedisadvantage that fatigue of the discharge pipe connection occurs aftercertain time of use or even at different temperatures. This results inthe discharge automatically lowering or being thrown upwards uponturning on the water flow. Up to now, the strength of the discharge hasbeen achieved by the friction of two plastic parts or by insertion oflarge-dimensioned O-rings. However, also with these solutions, again andagain, problems with respect to strength of the discharge pipeconnection occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide ageneric water discharge fitting, which ensures increased strength of adischarge pipe connection of a foldable water discharge pipe.

This object is solved by a water discharge fitting having the featuresof claim 1.

Advantageous developments are described in the dependent claims.

A water discharge fitting according to the invention has a foldablewater discharge pipe, the water discharge pipe being rotatably connectedto a fitting body through a connecting member, and the connecting memberand the fitting body being formed locking with each other, wherein thelocking has at least one locking step. Due to the possibility of lockingthe connecting member and the fitting body in at least one locking step,it is ensured that the water discharge pipe can be securely maintainedin an operational position or is securely maintained in a folded restposition or transporting position. Therein, for locking the connectingmember and the fitting body, according to an embodiment according to theinvention, at least one projection can be formed inside the fittingbody, wherein the projection is insertable and lockable in at least onerecess formed inside the connecting member.

However, in another embodiment according to the invention, it is alsopossible that at least one projection is formed inside the connectingmember, wherein the projection is insertable and lockable in at leastone recess formed inside the fitting body. By locking the connectingmember and the fitting body, on the one hand, the strength of thedischarge pipe connection is ensured, and also on the other hand, forexample during travel of a trailer, there cannot arise any rattlingnoises due to a loose discharge pipe.

In another advantageous development of the invention, at least tworecesses are circularly disposed. Therein, it is possible to dispose aplurality of recesses radially equally spaced apart. Thereby, on the onehand, it is ensured to bring the water discharge pipe without problemfrom a rest position into an operational position or vice versa, and onthe other hand, by a plurality of recesses, the inclination angle of thewater discharge pipe can be varied nearly in any manner.

In another advantageous development of the invention, the projection orprojections is or are disposed resiliently, respectively. Thereby, it ispossible, despite the locking or toothing of the connecting member withthe fitting body, to transfer the water discharge pipe into thecorresponding locking positions without too high effort. One possibilityof development is the formation of the projection or projections fromresilient material. Further, it is possible that the projection and therecesses are each formed rounded.

A one-lever mixer according to the invention, especially forinstallation in trailers and caravans, has a water discharge fittingaccording to the previously described embodiments.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent upon reading and understanding this specification, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details, features and advantages of the invention are explainedin more detail in the embodiments described and graphically illustratedbelow. There show:

FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an inventive water dischargefitting according to a first embodiment;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b a schematic representation of two different lockingpositions of the water discharge fitting according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a schematic representation of an inventive water dischargefitting according to a second embodiment; and

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b a schematic representation of two different lockingpositions of the water discharge fitting according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows in a schematic view a water discharge fitting 10 accordingto a first embodiment. The water discharge fitting has a foldable waterdischarge pipe 12, which is rotatably connected to a fitting body 16through a connecting member 14. The connecting member 14 is formedcylindrically and has a housing 28 with a housing opening 30. Thehousing opening 30 serves for detachably inserting the water dischargepipe 12. The fitting body 16 is also formed cylindrically in the regionof connection to the connecting member 14, and additionally has watersupplies 26 as well as a securing device 42 with a male thread forsecuring the water discharge fitting 10. Additionally, a turning on/offdevice 22 having a lever 24 adjoins to the fitting body 16. In theillustrated embodiment, its a so-called one-lever mixer.

One recognizes that the connecting member 14 and the fitting body 16 areformed locking with each other, wherein the locking has two lockingsteps. Therein, inside the fitting body 16, a projection 18 is formed,wherein the projection 18 is insertable and lockable in two recessesformed inside the connecting member 14. Especially, the type of lockingbecomes clear from the detail drawing X. One recognizes that the tworecesses 20 are circular and disposed in an angular distance of 90°.Further, one recognizes that the projection 18 is placed centrally on aspring member consisting of the spring arms 38 and 40. Additionally, aframe 34 is formed inside the connecting member 14, which forms a sleeve32 for receiving a connecting pin 36 of the fitting body 16. Therein,the frame 34 is connected to the inner circumference of the housing 28through legs 44. The water discharge pipe 12, the connecting member 14,the fitting body 16 as well as the turning on/off device 22 are usuallymade of plastics.

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show a schematic illustration of two different lockingpositions of the water discharge fitting 10 according to the firstembodiment. In FIG. 2 a, an operational position of the water dischargefitting 10 is illustrated. One recognizes that the water discharge pipe12 is approximately perpendicularly to an imagined mounting plane. Onerecognizes that the resiliently supported projection is locked in afirst recess 20. In FIG. 2 b, a rest or transporting position of thewater discharge fitting 10 is illustrated, respectively. One recognizesthat the water discharge pipe 12 is now approximately parallel to animagined mounting plane. Additionally, it has been rotated within theopening 30 of the housing 28 of the connecting member 14.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a water discharge fitting 10according to a second embodiment. The water discharge fitting 10 againhas a water discharge pipe 12 formed in straight manner in the nowdescribed embodiment. The water discharge pipe 12 is again secured inthe connecting member 14. The connecting member 14 and the fitting body16 are also formed locking with each other, wherein the locking has aplurality of locking steps. Therefore, a projection 18 is formed insidethe fitting body 16, wherein the projection 18 is insertable andlockable in a plurality of recesses 20 formed inside the connectingmember 14. This particularly becomes clear from the detail drawing X.One recognizes that the recesses 20 are again disposed circularly.Additionally, the projection 18 and the recesses 20 are formed rounded.Therein, the projection 18 rests on the spring member consisting of thespring arms 38 and 40.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show in a schematic illustration two exemplary lockingpositions of the water discharge fitting 10 according to the secondembodiment. In FIG. 4 a, a position of the water discharge pipe 12 ispresented approximately perpendicularly to an imagined mounting plane.FIG. 4 b shows the water discharge pipe 12 in a position, whichprotrudes in the imagined mounting plane. With the illustratedembodiment, for example, a plurality of locking steps with 12°difference is possible. The locking position represented in FIG. 4 b isminus 6° with respect to the imagined mounting plane. However, it isalso possible to form other angular distances and thus another lockingstep indexing. With respect to further constructive details of the waterdischarge fitting 10 according to the second embodiment, we refer to thedescription of the first embodiment.

While certain, selected embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed herein, other embodiments of the apparatus and methods of thepresent invention will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the artin view of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. Water discharge fitting including a foldable water discharge pipe,the water discharge pipe being rotatably connected to a fitting bodythrough a connecting member, characterized in that the connecting memberand the fitting body are formed locking with each other, wherein thelocking has at least one locking step.
 2. Water discharge fittingaccording to claim 1, wherein at least one projection is formed insidethe fitting body, and wherein the projection is insertable and lockablein at least one recess formed inside the connecting member.
 3. Waterdischarge fitting according to claim 1, wherein at least one projectionis formed inside the connecting member, and wherein the projection isinsertable and lockable in at least one recess formed inside the fittingbody.
 4. Water discharge fitting according to claim 2, wherein at leasttwo recesses are circularly disposed.
 5. Water discharge fittingaccording to claim 3, wherein at least two recesses are circularlydisposed.
 6. Water discharge fitting according to claim 4, wherein aplurality of recesses is formed radially equally spaced apart.
 7. Waterdischarge fitting according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of recessesis formed radially equally spaced apart.
 8. Water discharge fittingaccording to claim 2, wherein the projection or projections is or areresiliently disposed.
 9. Water discharge fitting according to claim 3,wherein the projection or projections is or are resiliently disposed.10. Water discharge fitting according to claim 2, wherein the projectionor projections are formed of resilient material.
 11. Water dischargefitting according to claim 3, wherein the projection or projections areformed of resilient material.
 12. Water discharge fitting according toclaim 2, wherein the projection and the recesses are formed rounded. 13.Water discharge fitting according to claim 3, wherein the projection andthe recesses are formed rounded.
 14. One-lever mixer, especially forinstallation in trailers and caravans, including a water dischargefitting comprising a foldable water discharge pipe, the water dischargepipe being rotatably connected to a fitting body through a connectingmember and the connecting member and the fitting body are formed lockingwith each other, wherein the locking has at least one locking step. 15.One-lever mixer according to claim 14, wherein at least one projectionis formed inside the fitting body, and wherein the projection isinsertable and lockable in at least one recess formed inside theconnecting member.
 16. One-lever mixer according to claim 14, wherein atleast one projection is formed inside the connecting member, wherein theprojection is insertable and lockable in at least one recess formedinside the fitting body.
 17. One-lever mixer according to claim 15,wherein at least two recesses are circularly disposed.
 18. One-levermixer according to claim 16, wherein at least two recesses arecircularly disposed.
 19. One-lever mixer according to claim 17, whereina plurality of recesses is formed radially equally spaced apart. 20.One-lever mixer according to claim 18, wherein a plurality of recessesis formed radially equally spaced apart.
 21. One-lever mixer accordingto claim 15, wherein the projection or projections is or are resilientlydisposed.
 22. One-lever mixer according to claim 16, wherein theprojection or projections is or are resiliently disposed.
 23. One-levermixer according to claim 15, wherein the projection or projections areformed of resilient material.
 24. One-lever mixer according to claim 16,wherein the projection or projections are formed of resilient material.25. One-lever mixer according to claim 15, wherein the projection andthe recesses are formed rounded.
 26. One-lever mixer according to claim16, wherein the projection and the recesses are formed rounded.